1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sterilized connection apparatus, and more particularly to a sterilized connection apparatus including: sealing means for forming between a first sealed box and a second sealed box, a decontamination space used to isolate a first cover body and a second cover body from an external atmosphere; decontamination medium supplying means for supplying through a supply pipe line, a vaporized decontamination medium to the decontamination space; and a discharge pipe line used to discharge the decontamination medium of the decontamination space.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to prior art, when a culture material is transferred,
a method is used in which an incubator is connected to an isolator and the isolator is made to communicate with a carry case while a sterilized state is maintained.
Here, when the isolator is made to communicate with the carry case, their cover bodies are decontaminated which have been exposed to an external atmosphere. For this purpose, a sterilized connection apparatus is known which includes decontamination medium supplying means for forming between the isolator and the carry case, a decontamination space of a relatively small capacity used to perform isolation from the external atmosphere, and for supplying through a gas sending pipe line, a vaporized decontamination medium to the decontamination space (Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-195432).
However, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, the decontamination space is formed while the isolator and the carry case are separated from each other. Thus, in that state, the decontamination medium is supplied to the decontamination space to perform decontamination and thereafter, the isolator and the carry case are connected.
The decontamination space formed between the isolator and the carry case separated from each other has a small capacity, but there is a need to decontaminate the decontamination space. Accordingly, it takes time to satisfactorily circulate the vaporized decontamination medium and further remove decontamination components by use of aeration.
Also, after performing decontamination of the decontamination space, a procedure is needed for coupling the cover bodies of the isolator and the carry case and then opening the cover bodies in an integrated manner, thus posing a problem that the operating procedure is complex.